(HONOLULU) – People don’t always think of butterflies as insects, though when they’re in the caterpillar stage, you’re reminded of which kingdom they’re from. Hawai‘i’s native butterfly, the Kamehameha butterfly, is a unique member of the insect kingdom and was named after a king. These are some of the things children of all ages will learn in the just-released educational book, “Butterfly for a King.”
slider
(HONOLULU) – Earlier this week, the families of native Hawaiians buried at Polihale on Kaua‘i, issued impassioned pleas for people to be respectful and to follow rules and laws designed to protect natural and cultural resources, and all park users.
(POLIHALE STATE PARK, KAUA‘I) – Emotion overcomes Raylene “Sissy” Kahale as she describes the significance of Polihale to Hawaiian families who have lived here for many generations. “Polihale is like our home. You don’t go to the bathroom at the same place you sleep or eat off. This place is so sacred. I don’t think people realize the mana that it brings and gives. When you come here it feels like coming home,” Kahale says, as tears well up.
(Līhue) – As the response to COVID-19 continues, so will the additional hunting days enjoyed by hunters on Kaua‘i. The additional hunting days were added in May 2020 by the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) Kaua‘i Branch, and has resulted in a sustainable supply of both hunting recreation and animals harvested.
(KAHULUI) – It started as a father-son kayak off the west coast of Maui to view and photograph Humpback whales. 45-year-old Daniel Sullivan and his 15-year-old son Tristan, of Kula, paddled out on their two-man, 12-foot hard-shell kayak from the west side of the pali at around 11:30 Tuesday morning. There was a slight swell but clear water. Daniel Sullivan recounted the incident in his own words in the following social media post:
(HONOLULU) – It’s believed drowning is the likely cause of death of at least two of three Hawaiian monk seals found dead on Kaua‘i last September, November, and December. Constraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic delayed completion of post-mortem examinations.
Today, the State’s first wetland restoration project on Kaua‘i, the Kawai‘ele Waterbird Sanctuary is about to expand. You can’t canoe, cross-country, these days, but the addition of 100 acres of wetland will provide additional habitat for native Hawaiian birds and as Jason Vercelli of the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) put it, “If you can protect, restore, and re-create wetland areas, you’ll end up with a big sponge.”
(HONOLULU) – Nearing the top of the popular Hawai‘iloa Ridge Trail in East O‘ahu look to your right and take in Pia Valley. This 300-acre parcel of rainforest in the southern Ko‘olau mountains will now be protected forever, thanks to a generous donation.
(HONOLULU) – The multi-million dollar effort to restore sand to Waikīkī Beach has begun. This morning Kahu Kordell Kekoa joined project principals for a traditional Hawaiian blessing. Mobilization of heavy equipment began last week and soon hydraulic dredging and pumping of as much as 20,000 cubic yards of marine sand about a ½ mile offshore begins. The Waikīkī Beach Maintenance Project is intended to restore and maintain the beach between the Kūhiō Beach Ewa Groin and the Royal Hawaiian Beach areas.
(HONOLULU) – O‘ahu’s iconic Kāne‘ohe Bay is Hawai‘i’s largest sheltered body of water and only one of two bays in the state with barrier reefs. It is a significant scenic and recreational location that sees plenty of activity from boaters, fishers, kayakers, and snorkelers.